Vitela de Lafões IGP

Description: The Vitela de Lafões PGI veal meatcomes from cattle slaughtered up to the weaning stage (5-7 months old) from either Arouquesa or Mirandesa breeds or their crossbreeds. It is a very tasty, juicy and tender meat. Commercially, the Vitela de Lafões PGI is presented either in carcasses or in properly packaged pieces.

Production method: The calves are fed with their mother’s milk up to the age when they are slaughtered. The calves may also be given a supplementary diet consisting of local hay, seasonal vegetation from pastures and concentrated feed made produced on the farm, mainly from maize flour. The mothers are fed on natural products.

Special features: Much of the quality of Vitela de Lafões PGI is due to the Lafões region microclimate, this region being essentially a huge green basin crossed by the river Vouga. The Vitela de Lafões PGI, an important component of the local cuisine, is usually roasted in a wood oven.

Production area: The calves are fed with their mother’s milk up to the age when they area: The Vitela de Lafões PGI production área – roughly 778 km2 – encompasses the municipalities of Oliveira de Frades, S. Pedro do Sul and Vouzela and parts of the municipalities of Castro Daire, Sever do Vouga and Viseu.

History: The Vitela de Lafões PGI comes entirely from family run businesses in the region of Lafões. Since ancient times, the local population lives on agriculture and rearing livestock, especially the traditional “vitela” (veal). Already in the 19th century the quality of this meat was well known, so much so that it was recorded in detail in an 1858 document by Silvestre Bernardo Lima for the state rural archives.

Product specification (pdf)

Geographical area

Producer group
Cooperativa Três Serras de Lafões, CRL

Control and certification body
Kiwa Sativa – Unipessoal, Lda.

Control plan
Control plan (pdf)

Publication in EU official journal
Regulamento (CE) n.º 1107/96 da Comissão – L148 21.06.1996
Publicação do Documento Único – C 140 18.05.2013

Publication in the Portuguese official journal
Despacho n.º 55/1994 – 03.02.1994
Aviso 15310/2009 – 01.09.2009
Aviso n.º 11021/2011 – 18.05.2011